Reflex sighting device

ABSTRACT

A sighting device of the reflex or infinity type which is nonmagnifying and which provides a collimated reticle image superimposed on the field of view. The reticle is a compound member having a first part illuminated by surrounding ambient light and a second part illuminated by down range ambient light. Both reticle parts appear to the viewer as colored aiming indicia images.

United States Patent Steck, III Sept. 16, 1975 REFLEX SIGHTING DEVICE Primary ExaminerWilliam L. Sikes 75 I t W [ham F. St k, III, E] Pas Te 1 men or 1 cc 0 x Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Donald R. Motsko; Wllham [73] Assignee: W. R. Weaver Company, El Paso, W J e Tex.

[22] Filed: July 10, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21 App]. No.1 270,356 A sighting device of the reflex or infinity type which is non-magnifying and which provides a collimated reticle image superimposed on the field of view. The reti- [52] US. C11.2 "6623522)253 C16 is a Compound member having a first part lumi [51] h t. Cl. I B /l nated by Surrounding ambient light and a Second part [58] Field of Search 356/251, 350/174 illuminated by down range ambient light. Both reticle References Cited prgitgsesppear o the viewer as colored almlng mdicla UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,780,130 2/1957 Mauer ..'356/25l 6 3 Drawmg F'gures REFLEX SIGHTING DEVICE This invention relates to a sighting device for use in aiming a projectile launcher or the like. The sighting device of this invention is of the reflex or infinity type, wherein the reticle image is collimated so as to appear to be on target to the sighting eye of the viewer.

A great variety of sighting devices featuring a collimated reticle image have been proposed in the prior art. Such devices generally provide a non-magnified target and are useful for sighting a firearm for short range shooting. The reticle is generally in the form of illuminated indicia which may be colored so as to be clearly discernable against the target background. The reticle indicia of the prior art sighting devices of this type may be illuminated either by an electric light of some sort, by inherent luminescence, phosphorescence, or the like, by surrounding ambient light, or by down range ambient light. The illuminated reticle image is then projected onto the field of view by some type of reflecting-partial reflecting system, and is colli mated so as to appear to be in the plane of the target.

The systems which use an electric light source or nat ural luminescense to illuminate the reticle are expen sive and difficult to manufacture. They are also fragile and not sufficiently rugged for field use.

A system which utilizes surrounding ambient light to illuminate the reticle will not provide a bright aiming point if the shooter is firing from a relatively dark place into a brightly illuminated place, as, for example, when the shooter is firing from a cave, a thicket of trees, or a duck blind into an open and brightly illuminated area.

At the same time. a system which uses down range ambient light to illuminate the reticle will not provide a bright aiming point when the shooter is positioned in a bright open area and firing into a darkened area such as a cave. a thicket, or the like.

The system of this invention includes reticle indicia which are simultaneously illuminated by surrounding and down range ambient light. In this way the aiming point will be bright if the shooter is firing from a dark area into a bright area, or is firing from a bright area into a dark area. The device of this invention is preferably contained in a single tubular housing so as to be of rugged construction, and pleasing appearance. The tubular housing contains a reticle-forming member which provides the reticle indicia, which indicia are preferably in the form of a circular spot and a ring concentric with the spot. The spot is preferably an opening in the member which is illuminated by a colored fluorescent glass or plastic body disposed behind the opening. The plastic body is mounted in a window in the side wall of the tubular housing so as to be exposed to surrounding ambient light through the window. Surrounding ambicnt light is absorbed by the side wall ofthe plastic body,

colored and fluoresced. and transmitted through the end wall of the plastic body to illuminate the reticle opening to provide a colored. fluorescent spot. A ring of reflective material. such as silvering. is formed on the reticle-forming member adjacent to and concentric with the opening in the member. The reflective ring is exposed to down range ambient light which enters the tubular housing through the objective end thereof. The down range ambient light is reflected by the silvered ring back toward the objective end of the tubular housing. Thus a colored fluorescent spot and concentric brightly reflective ring make up the reticle indicia for the sight, the spot being illuminated by surrounding ambient light, and the ring being illuminated by down range ambient light.

A lens member with parallel concave-convex faces is mounted in the objective end of the tubular housing and is tilted with respect to the axis of the tubular housing. The concave face of the lens is disposed inwardly with respect to the tubular housing and is provided with a selectively reflective, or dichroic, partially reflective coating. The dichroic coating selectively reflects the color corresponding to the color of the fluorescent reti cle spot and transmits substantially all remaining color. The lens is tilted with respect to the housing axis as to reflect the image of the colored reticle spot and reticle ring back along the axis of the housing toward the ocular end thereof to the eye of the viewer. The concave face of the lens serves to collimate the reticle indicia so that the latter appear to be in the plane of the target. The dichroic coating on the lens also serves to color the reflected image of the reticle indicia ring so that the lat ter will stand out against the target background. Since the dichroic collimating lens is only partially reflective, the target can be viewed by the shooter through the lens with no difficulty. When surrounding ambient light is bright and down range ambient light is dim, the reticle will appear as a brightly colored (preferably orange) spot on the target. When surrounding ambient light is dim and down range ambient light is bright, the reticle will appear as a colored ring on the target. When both ambient surrounding and down range light are bright, the reticle will appear as a colored dot surrounded by a ring of color on the target.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a sighting device of the reflex or infinity type having reticle indicia which are illuminated by both surrounding and down range ambient light.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sighting device of the character described having a reticle indicia image which is collimated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sighting device of the character described having a compound reticle indicia forming member, one part of which is illuminated by surrounding ambient light, and another part of which is illuminated by down range ambient light.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the sighting device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reticle indiciaforming member of the device of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the reticle indicia-forming portion of the device of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the sighting device of this invention is shown which includes a tubular housing 2 having an open objective end 4 and an open ocular end 6. A lens member 8 is mounted in and closes offthe objective end 4 of the housing 2. The lens 8 is substantially non-magnifying and includes parallel convex and concave faces. 10 and 12 respectively. the latter of which is disposed in the interior of the housing 2. The inner concave face 12 is provided with a dichroic partially reflective coating which reflects a predetermined relatively narrow band of color in the spectrum while transmitting substantially all of the remainder of the visible colors in the spectrum. Thus the lens 8 serves as a dichroic beam splitter. The axis of the lens 8 is tilted with respect to the axis of the housing 2 so as to be capable of reflecting an image of the reticle indicia along the axis of the housing 2 to the eye 14 of the viewer. As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. the concave rcflective face 12 of the lens 8 also serves to collimate the reflected image of the reticle indicia so that the latter appear to the eye of the viewer to be suspended in space down range on the target. A clear plastic or optical glass lens 9 closes the ocular end 6 of the housing 2 and serves to keep moisture and dust out of the housing interior.

An opening or window 16 is formed in the wall of the housing 2, and mounted in the interior of the housing 2 directly beneath the window 16 is an elongated bar or sheet 18 of plastic material. The plastic member T8 is preferably formed from an acrylic polymer which contains a fluorescent dye material dispersed therethrough. The plastic member 18 is capable of absorbing surrounding ambient light (which travels along the paths denoted by arrows 20) through its side wall 22. which underlies the window 16, coloring the absorbed ambient light by reason of the fluorescent material in the plastic. and piping the colored light out through its end wall 24 such that the end wall 24 appears as a brightly glowing colored surface under sufficiently bright surrounding ambient lighting conditions The plastic member 18 is preferably mounted in an opaque pod 26 secured to the inside surface 28 of the housing 2. The plastic member 18 serves as an illuminator for one component of the reticle indicia. as follows. A reticle indicia-forming member in the form of a plate 30 is mounted at the forward. or down range end of the pod 26 adjacent the end wall 24 of the illuminator 18. The plate 30 includes an opening 32 which is illuminated by the end wall 24 ofthe illuminator 18. The colored. fluorescent light transmitted from the illuminator end wall 24 passes through the opening 32 toward the dichroic collimating beam splitting lens 8 along a path denoted by arrow 34. The transmitted light is then reflected by the dichroic coating on the concave face 12 of the lens 8 along a path denoted generally by the arrow 34', which path 34' is parallel to the axis of the housing 2 and leads to the eye 14 of the viewer. The angle at which the axis of the lens 8 is tilted with respect to the axis of the housing 6 is selected so that the path 34 will be parallel to the axis of the housing 2, bearing in mind that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection for the light rays directed from the opening 32 to the concave reflecting surface 12 of the lens 8. Thus there is reflected along the path 34 a collimated reticlc indicia image of the fluorescent colored light which i passes through the opening 32 to form a first rcticle indicia having a solid circular configuration. which first rcticle indicia is illuminated by surrounding ambient light. The opening 32 is preferably 0.010 to 0.020 inch in diameter.

011 the outer surface 30' of the plate 30. there is pro vidcd an annular or ring-shaped second reticle indicia 36 which preferably surrounds and is concentric with the opening 32. The second rcticle indicia 36 is formed by a highly reflective coating or material deposited or secured to the plate surface 30'. Thus the second reticle indicia 36 may be formed by a silvered ring. or the like. The width of the ring 36 is preferably about 0.005 to 0.010 inch. Ambient light which originates from the down range or target area travels along paths denoted generally by the phantom arrows 38. This ambient down range light passes through the lens 8 and through the interior of the housing 2 to the eye of the viewer. Thus the viewer can see the target through the housing 2 and lens 8. Down range ambient light also strikes the reflective ring 36 and is reflected thereby along paths generally denoted by phantom arrows 40 toward the concave dichroic reflective surface 12 of the lens 8. These reflected down range light rays are again reflected and colored by the dichroic coating along paths denoted generally by phantom arrows 40' toward the eye of the viewer. Thus the viewer sees a second rcticle indicia image in the form of a colored ring which appears to be suspended in space on the target, which second rcticle indicia is illuminated by down range ambi ent light.

Thus the eye of the viewer will see common or coincidental aiming points comprising either an illuminated colored ring reticle indicia, an illuminated colored solid spot rcticle indicia, or a combination solid spot and ring rcticle indicia depending upon prevailing ambient lighting conditions. In order to obtain maximum efficiency from the sight. the inside surface 28 of the housing 2,

the front surface 30 of the plate 30, and the portion of the pod 26 disposed within the housing 2 should all be rendered substantially non-reflective. This can be accompiished by providing these surfaces with suitable coatings, by threading the inside of the housing 2, or by any other conventional means. These extraneous reflections are prevented from obscuring or detracting from the visibility of the reflected rcticle rings. It will be noted that the plate 30 is tilted with respect to the vertical so as to properly direct the reflected light beams 40 to the partially reflective surface 12 of the lens 8. The proper angle of tilt will be readily determined for a particular arrangement bearing in mind that the angle of incidence for light rays striking the reflective rcticle indicia ring 36 equals the angle of reflectance of the light rays reflected thereby.

Thus it will be apparent that the sighting device of this invention is of simple and inexpensive construction. and provides reticle indicia which will be readily visible under most ambient lighting conditions. The reticle indicia are colored so as to stand out against the target background. and are collimated so as to appear to be on the target as seen by the sighting eye of the viewer.

Since many changes and variations of the disclosed embodiment ofthe invention may be made without departing from the inventive concept. it is not intended to limit the invention otherwise than as required by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A reflex sighting device for use with a projectile launcher. said device comprising:

a. a tubular housing having an objective end and an ocular end;

. highly reflective means mounted in said housing to provide a reflecting surface facing said objective end of said housing. said reflecting surface being configured to provide first rcticle indicia for said device which first rcticle indicia is illuminated by down range ambient light.

means mounted in said housing to provide second reticle indicia illuminated by surrounding ambient light;

. fluorescent means mounted on said housing between the ocular and objective ends thereof and adjacent said second reticle indicia and operable to absorb surrounding ambient light, fluoresce the absorbed light and transmit the fluoresced light to said second reticle indicia to illuminate the latter;

. dichroic partially reflecting means mounted in said housing between said first and second reticle indicia and said objective end of said housing, said refleeting means being operable to transmit downrange ambient light to said reflecting surface, and further operable to reflect images of said first and second reticle indicia toward said ocular end of said housing substantially along the axis of said housing; and

. means in said housing focussed on said first and second reticle indicia to provide collimated images of said first and second reticle indicia.

2. The device of claim I, further comprising means in the interior of said housing for rendering the latter substantially non-reflective.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second retielc indicia are configured so as to provide said device with a common aiming point.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said first reticlc indicia is a ring and said second reticle indicia is a spot contained within and coaxial with said ring.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a window in said tubular housing, and a pod of opaque material mounted in said housing adjacent said window, said pod having one end wall facing said objective end of said housing, with said end wall being tilted with respect to the axis of said housing, said fluorescent means being contained within said pod, said reflective surface being positioned on said end wall of said pod, and said second reticle indicia being an opening in said end wall of said pod.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising means for rendering said pod substantially non-reflective except for said reflective surface thereon. 

1. A reflex sighting device for use with a projectile launcher, said device comprising: a. a tubular housing having an objective end and an ocular end; b. highly reflective means mounted in said housing to provide a reflecting surface facing said objective end of said housing, said reflecting surface being configured to provide first reticle indicia for said device which first reticle indicia is illuminated by down range ambient light; c. means mounted in said housing to provide second reticle indicia illuminated by surrounding ambient light; d. fluorescent means mounted on said housing between the ocular and objective ends thereof and adjacent said second reticle indicia and operable to absorb surrounding ambient light, fluoresce the absorbed light and transmit the fluoresced light to said second reticle indicia to illuminate the latter; e. dichroic partially reflecting means mounted in said housing between said first and second reticle indicia and said objective end of said housing, said reflecting means being operable to transmit downrange ambient light to said reflecting surface, and further operable to reflect images of said first and second reticle indicia toward said ocular end of said housing substantially along the axis of said housing; and f. means in said housing focussed on said first and second reticle indicia to provide collimated images of said first and second reticle indicia.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising means in the interior of said housing for rendering the latter substantially non-reflective.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second reticle indicia are configured so as to provide said device with a common aiming point.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein said first reticle indicia is a ring and said second reticle indicia is a spot contained within and coaxial with said ring.
 5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a window in said tubular housing, and a pod of opaque material mounted in said housing adjacent said window, said pod having one end wall facing said objective end of said housing, with said end wall being tilted with respect to the axis of said housing, said fluorescent means being contained within said pod, said reflective surface being positioned on said end wall of said pod, and said second reticle indicia being an opening in said end wall of said pod.
 6. The device of claim 5, further comprising means for rendering said pod substantially non-reflective except for said reflective surface thereon. 